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The Mets made a significant outfield switch today, promoting Brandon Nimmo from Triple-A Las Vegas and optioning Michael Conforto. The moves were first reported by Jeremiah Johnke of the Wyoming Tribune Eagle and MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo.
Nimmo, 23, was the team’s 1st-round pick (13th overall) in the 2011 draft, and is ranked by MLB.com as the Mets’ 4th-best prospect at the moment. He has hit .328/.409/.508 in 63 games with Las Vegas so far this season, and will get a chance to start in left field for the big-league club.
Conforto, who was the team’s 1st-rounder in 2014 (10th overall), has struggled to a .222/.296/.431 line in 65 games this season. He will head to Triple-A for the first time in his career, after being promoted directly from Double-A to the majors last July.
Nimmo and Conforto both figure to factor into the Mets’ long-term outfield plans, though the team’s aggressiveness in trying to win a second consecutive National League pennant likely led them to make the switch and promote the hot-hitting Nimmo. Conforto will almost certainly be back in the majors once he figures things out offensively at Triple-A, especially after hitting .270 with nine homers in 56 games for New York down the stretch last season.